Storms of My Past
by Gearhead Fenton
Summary: There are some things Jun doesn't understand about Hikari, but there are also some things that he understands much, much too well. Twinleafshipping
1. Chapter 1

**A.N: **Hi ^.^ so my Twinleaf one-shot got positive feedback, and kinda encouraged me to write another Twinleaf story. Reminder, this is NOT a one-shot! This will be a legit STORY. well, not a LEGIT story. kind of like a 'happening through the course of a few days' kind of thing. long story short theres gonna be a few chapter k shutup ._  
_

itsalsoanexcuseformetotakeab reakfrommyFMAstory .

_**ALSO YOU MIGHT WANNA READ MY ONE-SHOT TWINLEAF FIC ENTITLED 'TO SLIT A DEAD MAN'S THROAT'. I took a little something something out of that fic and put it in this one. Trust me, you'll know it when you see**_** it.**_** ALSO GIVE ME REVIEWS. AND FAVOURITES. YES.**_

* * *

_Back then, we never really had much to look forward to. But for some reason, that little fact made us live each day out like it was our last. We wouldn't, not even for a second, spend time doing things we didn't like, or hanging out with people we didn't enjoy being around. Back then, the biggest worry in our little world was if the gifts our incredible fathers brought back for us would be smaller than the ones they brought back the time before. Oh how we looked up to them, bragged about them to the neighbourhood kids about how our fathers were two of the most famous Pokémon trainers in the entire region. The kids would glare enviously, and the adults would whisper quietly about how sure they were that the two of us would follow close behind them in their footsteps. Like our fathers, the two of us were inseparable. We were locally famous as the 'twin leaves', seemingly a pun after the name of our hometown, Twinleaf. For our age, we were brave, we were rash, we were hotheaded and spunky. It was up until then that everything seemed almost perfect._

_But once tragedy struck, one of us changed for the worse. The one wasn't as brave, or rash, or hotheaded, or spunky anymore. The one no longer looked at the sight of cloudy skies, let alone danced in the rain. The one was no longer a child, but a confused, frightened soul in the body of a seven year old._

_But that wouldn't stop the other from remaining close to their twin leaf. As bright blue skies would slowly turn cloudy, and the first flash of lighting would skim across Sinnoh skies, the other would quickly wrap their arms around the one, holding the one tightly until their tears would seize. And as the one cried, the other would keep their arms wrapped tightly around their twin leaf, never for a second thinking of letting go. And as the other would hold their twin leaf, they would gently sing_

'_Hi-Kari. Hi-Kari-Kari. I want you here beside me. To have my Kari with me, would bring me clearest skies.'_

_And once the other's song was finished, the one was left with a smile plastered across their face, not longer shaking or crying. This would cheer the both of us up, although we still wouldn't move away. We felt safe by each other. We felt like one. _

"_Don't worry, Kari Kari. I won't ever let the storm hurt you."_

* * *

"Hey, Dad. What's the weather like up there?"

That day, it seemed almost as if the entire world was smiling, just for Hikari. So much had happened in the past 24 hours. Long story short, Hikari was now Sinnoh League Champion. Nothing seemed more refreshing than finally completing her long and difficult journey, and returning home for a long vacation. The final battle with Cynthia was by far the most difficult challenge she had ever faced, but one that she had looked forward to throughout her quest. Cynthia was, after all, someone she looked up to and idolized. And although she felt a little sheepish about showing her up, Cynthia had concluded that the battle she had with the short, blue haired trainer was the one of the most ecstatic moments of her life up to that point. Hikari had previously thought Cynthia would have been disappointed to have lost her position as the strongest trainer in Sinnoh, the blonde trainer actually seemed quite pleased. And with good reason too.

Not only had she made a name for herself worldwide, and now had the freedom of travelling to other regions for her mythological and historical research, but she had also passed the baton down to a worthy and strong new champion. One she was sure to light inspiration in many young trainers' hearts. As for Hikari, she was more than ready to do just that.

After a vacation of course.

She had arrived in Twinleaf Town early that morning. She had entered the quiet town upon realization that nobody would be awake at that hour. The Pokemon League agreed to notify her if a challenger had shown up, but they assured her that the possibilities of that happening were significantly low. Hikari didn't mind. It would give her more time to spend with her parents.

Her mother was sound asleep when the blue haired trainer arrived. Quietly, she set down her travelling equipment, and one by one, released her companions from their Poke balls and announced that they were free to rest. All six of them immediately obeyed, much to Hikari's surprise, judging their usual uplifted and steadfast spirits.

As for her father, well, here she was. The Verity Haven Cemetery was a beautiful place. Hikari would never admit it, but sometimes, she would use the sole excuse of wanting to visit her father to run off and wander the many beauties of the graveyard. There were long pathways intertwining one another with beautiful porcelain benches, embellished with balmy looking flower beds. The entrance gates had evergreen vines curling around them, giving them that final magical touch. Hikari felt as though she had jumped inside a storybook when entering this vicinity.

"I hope you're proud of your little girl, pops!" Hikari beamed. "I put my heart and soul into this journey! And I got what I wanted! Jun's probably never gonna leave me alone for this." The young girl chuckled. "Imagine that! Champion, at age 16! Who knows, maybe I'll go down in history as the second youngest champion the world's ever known!"

Although her achievement deserved much praise, Hikari couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of Kanto's Red, who had won over the Pokemon League at age 12, and been noted to this day as the strongest trainer in the world. Letting out a sigh, she rose from the grassy carpet below her.

"Well, anyways, I'd better get going now. Mom's gonna wake soon and wonder how a bunch of sleeping Pokemon got in my room! Bye, pops! Wish me clearest skies."

Hikari began her walk back home. In the distance, she could make out a small group of Castform dancing about and playing with one another. Once they caught a glimpse of her they shyly backed into a nearby shrub, earning a giggle and a small wave from the happy trainer. There was nothing Hikari loved more than early morning air in the summertime. There was a refreshing cold mist that had the usual summer warmth blanketed around it, and it simply felt invigorating. As she strolled past Jun's house, she took a quick glance up at her best friend's window. The light was out, so that either meant he wasn't home, or he had actually remembered to turn off his lights this time. Hikari shook her head with a smirk dancing across her lips, which soon crumbled when a familiar waft bellowed through the air. _Pecha pancakes!_

And with that, Hikari sprinted home at top speed, slamming the door behind her and making both her mother and her team nearly jump out of their skin. The television was on, as usual, but instead of the Contest Digest channel, it was switched onto the news channel, where the report was of none other than the new champion of Sinnoh. With a squeal, Hikari's mother, Ayako, jogged over to her daughter and scooped her up into a big hug, showing no mercy with crushing her and planting kissed on every inch of Hikari's face.

"Mom!" Hikari laughed. "You're drowning me here!"

"My little girl! I'm so proud of you!" Ayako squealed, squeezing her daughter a final time.

"Sure, Mom," Hikari chuckled. "now how 'bout those pancakes?"

Hikari, along with her companions, quickly wolfed down their breakfast as Ayako concentrated intently on the news report, an occasional squeal being heard at every mention of Hikari's name. _Great, _Hikari thought. _Moms my number one fan... as always._ The thought brought a smile to the young champion's face, before her thoughts were interrupted by the front door swinging open, and a gentle voice saying "Jun, be a little more polite, would you? It's still very early, they might be-"

"KARI KARI!"

Hikari turned her head lazily towards the door, being fully aware of who it was. There stood her childhood best friend, panting and wheezing as if he'd run a marathon. Not that it was such a shock. That's always the way he was. The old Jun Hikari always knew. And even though they hadn't spent as much time with one another during the past 4 years due to their journey, neither one of them had changed their greeting methods towards one another. Jun, always either running into her or running _through_ things to get to her, and Hikari scolding him like a mother afterwards.

This time was no exception.

"Jun, would you lower your voice?" Hikari whined. "I'm still really tired!"

Jun, completely ignoring his friend's pleas quickly made his way to the kitchen table. He suddenly froze for a few moments before swiftly snatching Hikari's loaded fork of pancake and stuffing it into his mouth. Hikari gasped and bonked him on the head, shouting about it being her last piece. Or something around those lines, he wasn't exactly paying attention. And then, without a second to spare, he scooped his best friend up in his arms in a large bear hug.

"Kari Kari! You're the league champion!" He shouted joyfully. A small blush crept across Hikari's face. Lots of people would be congratulating her, wouldn't they? She was never very good at taking compliments. She'd better get used to it.

"I'm so proud, Kari Kari, so so so so soooooo proud!"

Their mothers laughed as Hikari struggled to breathe under Jun's strong grip. After 4 years of working his arms throwing all those Poke balls, he had worked up some tanks, as people liked to call it. Finally, he let go, and looked her straight in her eyes.

"But this doesn't mean I won't keep trying to beat you!" He cried. "Just you wait!"

Hikari waved a hand in the air, as if swatting a bug away. "Right, right, whatever you say. I'll have you know that I won't be doing any battling for at least another three weeks."

"Three _weeks_?!" Jun cried.

"Three weeks. I'm on vacation."

Jun raised an eyebrow, as if looking at a newfound alien species that had taken form as his best friend. "Kari Kari, you're taking a break? But you just turned champion!"

"And that's exactly _why_ I'm taking a break!" Hikari snapped, spinning the blonde around and pushing him away from the kitchen. "I've spent the past 4 years working my butt off, and I just want a break now. That's all."

Jun folded his arms together in a pout. "Humph. Just killing time so you don't get your butt kicked by me. I should fine you for this."

Hikari once again waved her hand in the air in response. She wouldn't argue with him. Not today, anyway. Nope, today was her day, and her day alone.


	2. Chapter 2

__**A.N: Fwaaah Lotsa positive feedback from the first chapter :D GIMME MOAR.**

**Aha but on a more serious note, thankyou guys! There will still be at least one more chapter left of this story. It'll either be a really long one, or I'll break it up into two. Who knows.**

**Anyways, R&R!**

* * *

_Gentle sobs could be heard from behind the little boy's door. Inside, our two eight year old selves sat in the corner of the little boy's room. The little boy held on tightly to the little girl, her little screams and little cries being muffled into the fabrics of his little shirt._

"_Don't listen to the storm, Kari Kari. Listen to me!"_

_The little boy began his little song once again. 'Hi-Kari. Hi-Kari-Kari. I want you here beside me. To have my Kari with me, would bring me clearest skies.'_

_The little girl's body stopped shaking, as her breaths became more even. We were both smiling at that point, and the storm outside began calming down a little. The little girl clutched the boy's hand tightly._

"_Jun Jun... I know it's over but... Can you please keep holding my hand?"_

_The little boy smiled brightly. "'Course, Kari Kari! I'll never let you go"_

_The little girl giggled and climbed back into the little boy's lap. _

"_Jun Jun... Do you think I'll ever grow out of this?" The little girl's sad voice asked. The little boy cocked his head to the side._

"_Whether you do or not won't make a difference for me, Kari Kari! I'll still come after you every time there's a storm! You won't be scared anymore!"_

_The little girl gently nodded, seemingly unconvinced. The little boy let out a light giggle._

"_I'll help you grow out of this, Kari. And if in the future I one day can't be there for you, I wish you clearest skies!"_

* * *

Over the next few days, Jun didn't once seize asking Hikari to a battle whenever he caught sight of her. He'd first start out with a calm, gentlemanly approach. It would usually involve him greeting her kindly in a sweet voice, asking her how her day was, and slowly slithering his way into the question. Hikari would continuously reply 'no', much to Jun's extreme disappointment and annoyance.

"Come on! Don't the Pokemon League's official rules say that once two trainers meet eyes and at least one demands a battle, the two must engage in one?!"

"The League rules also say that once a trainer becomes champion of his or her region, they are granted the choice of battling for up to 3 months after their victory if they are not present at the league." Hikari replied back calmly, reaching for another Pinap poffin. "And besides, I think you could use a break as well. Just look at you, you're always panting for air!"

"Mmmfrfmph..." Jun mumbled, his mouth filled with poffins. What was it to her anyway? To be extreme, one would have to _live _extreme! Don't patiently wait for the 'right time' or whatever people liked to call it that took up too much valuable time. Time that could be spent getting things done.

Hikari glanced down, and back up at Jun with a concerned look on her face. Jun noticed a slight quiver of her bottom lip. The blonde raised an eyebrow at his friend and swallowed the poffin clump inside his mouth. "What?"

"We're out... of poffins, Jun!" Hikari whined. The blue haired trainer threw her head back and let out a noise, the equivalent of a choking Wailord. Jun quietly snickered at her childish insolence.

"You do understand that poffins were originally made for cute looking Pokemon who want to partake in Contests right? Of course they're not gonna make packs that hold more than around ten, or so!"

Hikari shook her head fiercely, her eyes still closed. She quietly murmured "I want more... I want more..." Beside her, Luxray and Empoleon cocked their heads to the side. _Hikari sure is odd, _Empoleon stated. Luxray cackled and nodded in response. As if on cue, Hikari shot them a cold glare and growled. The two Pokémon swallowed hard, quickly looking away towards Lopunny, who was seated politely in front of Jun's dresser mirror, fluffing her ears up and down as if trying to find a new suitable look for herself. Her quiet snarls of frustration could be faintly heard from afar. The beautiful Pokémon reddened at the 'unladylike' noise that escaped her mouth and resumed her ear activity. Luxray groaned. It seemed as if all the females at present had gone bonkers, with the exception of Lapras, who was currently at the pond in front of Jun and Hikari's houses. Lapras was the eldest of the Pokemon at present, and seemed to be much calmer and collected most of the time. Although she herself sometimes found Lopunny's unnecessary actions to be quite... _disdaining_.

Regardless of the fact that most of her companions were polar opposites, Hikari knew deep in her heart the fact that she loved them each to death. Even her companions themselves wouldn't even dare think of life without one another, and that little fact made the seven of them extremely close.

Hikari let out a sigh, a smile teasing her features. But what was there to do now? She had only returned for about a week and a half, and she had run out of things to do. She'd already visited her father's grave three times since she'd gotten back. She'd visited Mesprit at Lake Verity as well. She and Jun has skipped stones, _and _paid a visit to Professor Rowan. Hikari had been disappointed when he told her Kouki had taken his sister to a concert at Jubilife, and wasn't present at the time. It was a shame, she had wanted to see his reaction upon seeing her. Kouki always did have the most enthusiastic and over reactive response to most situations. It was hilarious, and a joy to see.

And now, even her precious poffins were all finished. Hikari felt just about ready to cry, when suddenly and idea popped into her head, and she swung her legs down from Jun's couch, springing herself up.

"Jun! Let's make more!" She cried.

"Whaaa-?" Without waiting for him to respond, Hikari grabbed his arm and dragged her best friend down the stairs. "Hey! That's not fair, Kari! You're making me cook a thousand poffins with you but you refuse to have one measly battle with me?!"

"We aren't cooking a thousand!" Hikari cried, and suddenly brought herself to a halt. The idea of a thousand poffins didn't seem very bad...

"_No_." Jun snapped firmly, grasping her hand tightly and pulling her over to the kitchen. As the two began setting their appliances up, Hikari heard Luxray's roar, motioning his head towards the door.

"Ah... hey, Jun, I think someone's here."

Jun raised his left eyebrow, brushing down the front of his shirt and jogging towards the door. After a short pause, a familiar voice came from the living room, followed by laughter. Not soon after, Jun dragged his feet into the kitchen with a bored expression on his face.

"Let's leave this for a bit later. Koukis here, but he has to leave soon."

Hikari's face lit up, much to Jun's annoyance. What was so fascinating about that guy anyways? Hikari ran into the living room, and smiled. Kouki turned his head to the side, a grin creeping along his face.

"HIKARI!" He cried out in joy. Hikari laughed and gave her friend a hug.

"Kouki, its so great to see you!" The champion laughed.

"Yeah, I bet it is! I heard the news while I was out to Jubilife with my sister. I have to get back to Sandgem again soon, though. Professor Rowan needs me to go check out a new hoard of Pokemon that just showed up from Hoenn. Pretty neat, huh?"

Hikari's eyes sparkled with fascination. She had heard of the mysterious hoards of foreign Pokemon taking refuge in Sinnoh. Cynthia had told her it was most likely due to the fact that the balance between time, space and antimatter had become balanced, with Sinnoh being the centre. Pokemon seemingly felt safer and more at peace in the balanced region because of this. The former champion had reassured Hikari she'd look further into the mystery.

"Well, I'm happy you came!" Hikari chuckled. "It's nice to see an old face once in a while."

"Well, I'm sure Jun keeps you occupied in that case, then!" Kouki teased, winking at the blonde behind her.

"Oh please..." Hikari groaned, placing her fists on her hips. "Jun won't shut up about wanting to battle me. At least you have the decency of talking to me like a normal person instead of an opponent all the time." Hikari's eyes narrowed in Jun's direction.

Jun, for that matter, felt his heart seize at his supposed best friend's words. A normal person? What did she mean by that? And why were both she and Kouki laughing? Noticing the change of sentiment in the air, Kouki, glanced over at Jun questioningly. The blonde panicked and quickly let out the most realistic chuckle he could muster up beneath the annoying lump forming at the pit of his throat. Sure, he laughed, but he found nothing funny about what Hikari said, in the least.

Finally, after another half hour, Kouki said his farewells and departed away on his Noctowl. Hikari sighed, and spun around to face Jun.

"Alright! Let's get down to making those poffins, now!" She squealed happily, grabbing his hand.

Jun growled, squeezing her hand in anger. "Argh, okay, look we're going to do this quickly, you hear?! I don't want the kitchen a mess, because you always leave me to do all the cleaning afterwards!"

Hikari raised an eyebrow, gently wiggling her hand in his grasp. "I won't. I promise."

Jun growled again, this time with more bitterness. "Yeah, right. You and your 'promises'. All you know how to do is abandon." He snapped in a whisper.

Hikari winced as if she'd been slapped in the face, offended. "That's kinda harsh! At least I don't challenge my best friend to a battle in the middle of a muddy marsh, while its _raining _and don't even consider the fact that she might catch a _cold _and be bedridden in an unfamiliar town for _two and a half weeks!" _The blue haired trainer snapped. Jun's grip tightened with a growl.

"Oh, please that was a year and a half ago!" He snapped. "I didn't think you'd be the type to hold grudges!"

"_Grudges!" _Hikari gasped. "_You're _telling _me _about grudges?! Please don't even get me started on you, Jun!" The champion's face was now beet red with fury.

"Oh, please, I insist!" Jun yelled back, both their bodies now arched over, and their faces inches apart as they growled at one another in anger. "After all, you don't seem to have a problem with making people look bad, now do you?!"

"What?!" Hikari cried. "What have I ever done to make you say that?!"

"Oh please!" The blonde hissed. "Just now! What the hell was up with that?!" He yelled, his chest growing tighter and tighter. "You full out put me down right in front of Kouki, and didn't even feel bad about it! And there you two were, laughing your heads off like a pair of lovesick little puppies!"

"Don't even go there Jun! How was I supposed to know?!" Hikari shouted. "You were laughing like a maniac!"

Jun paused for a moment, feeling an odd pit at the centre of his throat. For some odd reason, it stung to think that Hikari couldn't see past his mask after knowing him all her life. He liked to think that she knew him better than anyone, everyone even. But if even Hikari couldn't figure him out... Who would? He didn't deny it.

The thought scared him to bits.

He'd felt alone all of his life, minus the moments he'd spend with Hikari. Most of the time, people would simply bombard him with expectations, whispering and murmuring that 'hey! That's the Tower Tycoon's son! He should be a great trainer, to continue his father's legacy!'. And because of that, at the age of 9 years old, he moulded his mask. The mask that would cover his weakness, and bring out the goofball within, trying desperately to keep everyone from thinking him a sensitive coward. Perhaps he was simply a hypocrite. He complained to himself about everyone having such high expectations of him, and yet, he held high expectations for Hikari. What a fool he was.

"That's... the best excuse you can come up with?" Jun whispered, glaring at his best friend with a stone cold gaze, trying desperately to swallow the lump in his throat. Hikari's eyes wavered slightly, then adjusted into place once again. "Jun..." she whispered, her voice still stern. Jun bit his lower lips awaiting a response. After a long pause, Hikari straightened her back and looked to the ground.

"Let go of my hand." Was all she said.

Jun jumped backwards, releasing her hand in the process. He could've sworn he heard something crack from inside him, and his breath suddenly hitched. It was so sudden, the young trainer couldn't help but clasp his chest and heave out a sob. Hikari gasped, and clasped a hand over her mouth. What had she done?

"You want me to let go, huh..." Jun whispered, small dewdrops cascading down his face. That was it. She had completely forgotten. Hikari shook her head abruptly.

"No, Jun! N-"

"_I bet you'd really like that!" _Jun cried out. Without a second to spare, he spun around on his heels, and quickly stomped up to his room, slamming the door shut behind him, leaving Hikari clutching her head in shame.

_No. No, No, No NO!_ The young champion's legs moved on their own. Without a second thought, a second breath, she quickly ran out of her childhood friend's house. And his life.


	3. Chapter 3

**~*~*~* Read the AN at the end of the chapter!~*~*~*~**

* * *

Stupid... Stupid... Stupid...

Hikari's vocabulary had simply narrowed down to that one word. It was all she would tell herself, over and over. She'd tried coping with herself at the cemetery to no avail. She then moved onto Lake Verity, where she currently sat. Her team had attempted to pursuit her, begging for her to seize her tears, even for a moment. But without another word, Hikari continued on her way, wanting to get as far away as possible from everyone she cared for, in fear of hurting _them _as well in her anger. How could she have been so ignorant and egoistic? It was so unlike her. Maybe it was the title as champion that was slowly getting to her head. Or maybe it was Jun's clumsiness that made her feel superior in some way. _No, that's ridiculous, s_he thought. _I should be used to him acting like that..._

Regardless of what it was, she was foolish for making up the most obvious excuse for ignoring Jun's hurt. It stung her to know that after 4 years, she'd almost completely forgotten all about her first and closest friend. She'd almost completely forgotten he got jealous sometimes, she'd forgotten he didn't exactly enjoy having Kouki around too much, and she'd forgotten he had tendencies of masking his feelings like his life depended on it.

Feelings. She'd forgotten he has _feelings. _

_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

The voice in her head scolded her again and again, her fist sending ripples across the lake water that once seemed so calm. Hikari envied the lake. It seemed so calm and peaceful all the time, regardless of the Gyarados and Golduck living within it. They all lived with one another in harmony. No fights. And even during harsh storms, the many species aided one another in protecting their combined habitat. Teamwork, something she and Jun hadn't even considered when starting off their journeys. Hikari often wondered what it would be like if she and Jun had travelled together instead of separately. The champion silently shuddered when she thought of him nagging her to wake up every morning at 6 because of the overly crowded routes that would 'slow them down'. She could just imagine Jun's annoyed face when all those Trainers would battle him because she wanted to sleep in, fining them double the money they were intended to pay at the end of a lost battle. Hikari silently chuckled to herself, more tears forming at the edges of her eyes. Jun. He was like a walking Luck Incense.

Jun. Stupid Jun.

"_Weh-hoo we-oo..."_

Hikari jumped with a gasp at the small, yet sudden voice. In the corner of her eyes, she could make out a small figure with two tails and a pink head. Could it be...?!

"Mesprit!" The young champion cried, springing up from the ground and embracing the small Legendary. She remembered how Mesprit, Uxie and Azelf had aided her in the Distortion World by returning her favour of rescuing them from the wretched Team Galactic. She hadn't seen the three of them since the final battle with Cyrus. She missed the trio dearly, especially Mesprit, whom she had known guided her as a small child. Hikari simply knew Mesprit was looking over her all the time, and that's what made the Pokemon so dear to her.

The small Mirage Pokemon nuzzled into Hikari's chest in glee, before pulling away with a look of concern. "_We-hoo..." _it whispered, placing two round hands on either of the champion's cheeks.

Hikari sighed, more tears welling up in her eyes annoyingly. How she wished she could stop crying. She felt simply pathetic. Mesprit rubbed her cheeks sympathetically, trying to soothe its friend. The Legendary wore a look of curiosity and anger, earning a light chuckle from Hikari.

"Oh, Mesprit... You shouldn't be angry at anyone but me..." She sighed. "I messed up, Mesprit. I messed up big time." Hikari's hands cupped her face as she collapsed on her knees, sobbing . Mesprit gasped, joining her on the ground. The guardian held Hikari's head in its small arms, rubbing her head nervously.

"He was... always there for me, Mesprit. He never left my side, not even once. I felt... I felt jealous of him, sometimes. I wanted to be as strong as he was. After his father left home, he didn't cry, not even once. After he was defeated by Jupiter, he still held his head high and refused to give up. Even after I became champion, he still congratulated me in the warmest way, even though he knew how much he wanted that title to himself!"

Hikari raised her head to look at the wide-eyed Pokemon. "He's a joy to everyone! He's kind, welcoming, and probably the most amazing person in the whole universe! Anyone would be lucky to be under the same sky as him. So, why, Mesprit?" She whispered silently.

"Why did I treat him so terribly?"

"_You're in denial." _Came a voice. Hikari gasped through her sobs, her head whipping in different directions to try and figure out who it was, but her eyes landed back onto the Mirage Pokemon, who was smiling at her quite brightly. The voice sounded like a little girl's voice, sweet and innocent. It suited Mesprit's face beautifully, but was it really Mesprit? Hikari blinked patiently, glaring at the Pokemon before her. The Legendary giggled.

"_You just said it all yourself, Hikari." _ Mesprit whispered, taking the heroine's hands in her own. _"From the many years I have lived, I realized humankind copes with their feelings in quite the intriguing way._ _Most act in selfish ways, such as Cyrus and the rest of his team did. They deliberately brought chaos into this beautiful region, Cyrus because he wanted complete power and the Grunts because they wanted riches. It is foolish to say that there is any human in this world who has never acted selfishly. It is something we Pokemon cannot escape as well._

_But there are also those who confront their selfishness, and attempt in coping with it. Some give into their egocentric ways, and fall prisoner to their own wants. Other, overcome it cunningly. But there are also some, such as yourself, who push it away forcibly, only to have it come running back to them." _The Mirage Pokemon lifted Hikari's hands to her lips, pressing a soft kiss on her knuckles. Releasing the heroine's hands, Mesprit slowly floated up into the sky, disappearing bit by bit.

"_Think about what you really want, Hikari. It's alright to be selfish sometimes. It is human. It is who you are."_

* * *

Jun had somehow, someway managed to fish out his old music player from the inside of his messy wardrobe. He silently sat on the couch in the living room, listening to his old music while cleaning the dirt off of Floatzel's filthy yellow float. The water type was conversing with Heracross, who was showing off his strong punches.

"Heracross, dear, please watch out for the furniture and vases, alright?" Omi called from the television.

Heracross gave a sheepish murmur, before lowering himself on the ground next to Staraptor, who was quietly snickering. Suddenly, the front door opened abruptly, as Ayako stood in the doorway with a worried expression on her face. Jun watched as his mother scrambled to her feet and rushed over to the doorway. The blonde boy unplugged one of his earphones to listen in on what the two mothers were saying.

"She isn't home?" Omi asked quietly.

"No, I thought she was..." Ayako sighed, closing the door behind her. "Her Pokemon were there, but she wasn't. They all seemed a bit upset, the poor dears. I wondered what had happened, so I came here... But... I suppose she isn't here either."

Omi chuckled joyfully. "Oh, Ayako, look at you! You're all worn out! Let's remember who we're talking about here! Hikari, the girl who saved Sinnoh, jumped into a vortex of darkness, tamed a Legendary beast! I'm sure she'll be just fine."

As the two laughed, Jun's eyes wandered towards the windows. The sky seemed a bit cloudy and gloomy, not exactly helping him out with his current state and situation. Dark weather always put Jun in a dark mood. And the fight he had with Hikari just multiplied it by a thousand. He didn't know why he was still in Twinleaf. He had simply stayed to spend some time with Hikari, to see her again, and have that battle. She had disappointed him, though. _Right, _he decided. _I'll head out again as soon as possible._

His eyes wandered back towards the window, which showed skies that had gotten slightly cloudier than usual. _Right after the storm that's about to show up..._

Suddenly, his chest clenched. A storm? But Hikari wasn't at home! Floatzel noticed his trainer's panic, and gave a questioning growl.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, buddy." He sighed. Who cares? She'll probably go running home if she sees the sky getting cloudy. And besides. She has _Kouki _to take care of her now. How he hated that guy.

"Jun, dear!" Omi called. "You haven't seen Hikari around today have you?"

"Not since this morning... She left right after Kouki visited."

Ayako sighed in disappointment, but was interrupted by a distant rumbling outside. She gasped, and ran out the door and towards her house. Omi's joyful face crumbled, and Jun felt his chest clench again.

_I don't care. I don't care. I DON'T care._

The room flashed in an instant, and the lights dimmed out to oblivion. Following was a thunderous _CRASH! _that echoed from the sky and made everyone jump. Jun's heart was thumping violently against his chest now

_I don't care. I don't care._

After about 5 minutes, the blue haired woman, slammed open the door once again, but this time, she had tears streaming down her face.

"_She isn't home!"_

Omi gasped, and Jun's Pokemon leapt to their feet. As for Jun, he couldn't hear or see anything anymore. All he knew was that one minute, he was standing in the kitchen, and the next, he was halfway towards the cemetery, soaked to the bone by the pouring rain.

"_Hikari!"_

His eyes scanned the graveyard quickly, his head whipping left and right. She wasn't here? But she was always here! Jun growled anxiously, sprinting in the opposite direction towards Route 201. He ears rang with a billion different thoughts, along with the pouring rain and thunder crashing above. But despite this, he could have sworn he heard a little girl's voice, whispering soothingly in his ears.

_Jun-Jun... Do you think I'll ever grow out of this?_

Jun shook his head violently, his feet splashing through puddles and soaking his brown-gray pants. "Stop..."

_Jun-Jun don't let go, please._

"Hikari..."

_Jun-Jun I'm scared!_

"..._YOU STUPID GIRL!"_

Lake Verity appeared before him in an instant. In the distance, there was a group of Gyarados, guiding young Psyduck and Magikarp to safety. _Mesprit's cave stood just as sentinel and proud as always. But that isn't what I'm here for...!_

"Hikari!" He cried. "_Hikari!"_

The blonde trainer was now panting heavily, his neck strained from whipping his head in different directions. Finally, he turned towards Mesprit's cave.

"You're supposed to be on her side, right?! So tell me where she is! She's scared! She's helpless!" Hot tears pricked at his eyes as he collapsed on his knees.

"_I promised her...!"_

"_This way..." _a young girl's voice called. He gave it no second thought as he ran in the direction of the voice, venturing deep into the forested area behind the lake. He inhaled deeply.

There, beneath a large canopy tree, was Hikari, curled up into herself with her arms shielding her head as she shook with fear. She had small, tired sobs escaping her, with an occasional breathless scream. Without a moment to lose, Jun quickly dashed towards her, and threw himself on the ground, placing two hands on her shoulders. The young champion winced at the sudden contact, fearfully, raised her head to meet Jun's terrified eyes. Her eyes expanded as soon as she caught a glimpse of his face.

"_Jun-Jun!" _She cried, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly, refusing to let go as she sobbed violently into his shoulders, screaming. Jun gathered her up into his arms, and stood up, pressing his mouth against her ears. As he gently rocked her side to side, he whispered quietly _'Hi-Kari. Hi-Kari-Kari. I want you here beside me. To have my Kari with me, would bring me clearest skies.'_

Hikari's muffled screams lessened, as she slowly went limp in his arms. Jun sighed with relief.

"_Skreeee!"_

The blonde trainer gasped as his head turned upwards towards the sky. He winced as his head let out a small _crack. _It would be strained for a few days. Regardless, he chuckled as Staraptor lowered himself onto the ground next to his trainer with a worried expression.

"That's a good boy..." Jun whispered.

* * *

**A.N: PLEASE READ! THIS IS IMPORTANT!**

**Pretty much, there's still one last chapter remaining to this story :3 I had originally thought it would be just 3, but if I added in the final part, the chapter would be ridiculously long... BUT ALSO, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I MIGHT BE CHANGING THE RATING FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! There wont be a... sexual scene... but there will be some sort of spice in there, so it probably wont be higher than T. But again, if you're uncomfortable with heavy makeout/odd 'noises', I reccomend you read only half of the next chapter. ^.^ REVIEWS/FEEDBACK PLEASE!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N: RATING HAS BEEN CHANGED.**

* * *

"This is Helena, bringing you the on-the-spot weather!"

There was far too much noise around him. With the television blaring, Omi running, Ayako weeping, Hikari still silently whimpering in her sleep, and the immense thunderstorm outside, Jun could barely hear himself think. But that was the least of his worries. Even though, Hikari had passed out, the grip on she held on his hand was slowly growing unbearable. His four fingers were practically blue, gradually tinting purple as it got down to his palms. It was completely numb and painless at that point. Across the room, Heracross had a hand rested on Empoleon's shoulder, who was shamefully slumped over. The two spoke to each other quietly and softly. It appeared as if Heracross were attempting to console the champion's partner, earning a grateful smile from the steel-water type.

"The utmost southern part of Sinnoh is experiencing its worst hurricane yet since a decade ago! It has stretched from Jubilife and Lower Canalave, all the way down to Twinleaf Town, continuing a little ways down south." The television reported. "The cargo boats at Canalave have been postponed their leave. Sandgem Town in a complete black out, while Twinleaf has just reported retrieving their electricity! The storm seems to be focusing on the south, so the other parts of Sinnoh hopefully won't be affected! We advise you all to stay indoors and stay safe! This is Helena, over and out!"

Jun itched the inside of his ear with his pinky finger, a quiet grunt escaping the pit of his throat. He didn't understand why Helena always insisted on going to the actual sight of her reports. She could have easily said all of that inside a warm building. It seemed as if everything was beginning to irritate him. For one thing, he was soaked to the core in his extremely uncomfortable pajama pants, his blonde hair matted against his glimmering forehead. Staraptor even picked at his wet wings in annoyance, constantly rubbing them against the small towel Jun had given him. It was rather puny in size, but he couldn't blame his trainer. After all, one could only do so much while carrying another person.

"Jun, dear...I don't know how to thank you." A voice came from behind him. Ayako slowly lowered herself onto the floor next to Jun, her nose pink from crying and bad bags hanging from underneath her eyes. The blonde blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "It... Don't worry about it, Auntie Koko. Y'know, I'm used to this by now. I mean, I should be. She's been in my life longer than... Anyone else I know, really."

Ayako smiled warmly at the boy. "Hikari... Sure is lucky." She whispered, stroking her daughter's hair. Hikari winced slightly, and then breathed out in relief, her grip loosening on Jun's hand. Jun silently thanked Ayako sheepishly, shaking his hand a few times to get the blood circulating. "You know, you remind me a lot of her father."

Jun paused and was taken aback all of a sudden by her comment. "I... Auntie?"

The blue haired woman's smile grew, showing off her signature dimples. "Hikari's father always had a knack of devotion. If he promised something, he would stick with it forever. Nothing would come in his way." She explained. "And even now, that he's gone, he's still kept his promise to me."

Jun blinked patiently, urging the woman to continue. Ayako simply raised herself off the ground, slowly making her way towards the front door. She then turned around and gave Jun one final smile.

"Keep her with you tonight. You'll be able to do more for her than I could."

"N-No, that isn't true, Koko!" Jun cried, jumping to his feet. "You know how much you mean to Hikari! She's so thankful for all you've done for her! Heck, I'm even impressed! I mean, usually, when people lose someone they love, they get all sappy and sentimental. But you... Look at you! You've raised a champion! They should've given you the title instead!"

Ayako's mouth formed an 'o'. She simply stared at the boy, her lips opening and closing. Finally, she nodded gratefully, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Empoleon, darling. You come too."

Empoleon's eyes pleaded for objection, but he knew his trainer needed space for recovery. Saying his final farewells, Empoleon quickly made his way over to Ayako, as they sprinted next door through the pouring rain.

"Jun, why don't you go take a warm shower?" Omi whispered, flicking off the switch. "I'll get Hikari upstairs and out of those wet clothes. You can just relax, sweetheart."

Jun nodded slowly, slowly making his way up the stairs and into the bathroom. He had no idea what he was feeling at that moment. Happiness? Sadness? Annoyance? Anger? No, he felt empty. Blank. It felt as if that was all he felt nowadays. And what about his deal to leave first thing after the storm subsided? Did he still want to go? The memory of Hikari throwing her arms around her neck, and pressing herself tightly against him made his heart flutter.

For some reason.

* * *

She was so relaxed. So comfortable. Her head seemed clear, and her eyes were happily shut. The fabrics she wore felt snug against her bare skin as her chest rose and sank in synch to her breaths. Experimentally, she ran her legs down the mattress beneath her, feeling soft sheets underneath and a fuzzy quilt over top. Everything seemed perfect.

_Pit... Pat..._

Hikari's eyes slowly fluttered open. It hadn't even occurred to her to check where this mysterious haven was. Judging by the half-open closet with clothes spewing out, and the obnoxious notes written on the small bulletin board above the PC desk, there was no doubt that she was in Jun's room. The champion slowly rubbed her eyes, her chest slowly sinking as the memories of her day came back to her. She leisurely turned her head towards the window overlooking the silent town of Twinleaf. The sky was still drizzling tiny dewdrops onto the little town, showing possible signs of more to come. Her previously wet clothes were neatly folded and placed next to her mattress on the ground. Instead, Hikari wore one of Jun's old pajama tops and boxers, both which were a tad bit too big for her. She silently wondered if it was Omi who had undressed her, flushing a pale pink and mentally kicking herself for the odd thought.

_But where's Jun?_

A small beam of light peeking out from underneath his bathroom door on the opposite side of the room caught her attention. Small steam clouds danced out from under the door, disappearing into the drafty air. Hikari rubbed the goose bumps forming on her arms, and pulled the quilt closer to herself. The champion groaned as a small sneeze escaped her.

"Great, and now I'm sick..." she mumbled under her breath. If Jun were in front of her now, he'd probably be teasing her and scolding her at the same time, babbling on about fining her for falling ill and worrying him.

Oh, but perhaps he wouldn't. Not after how she had treated him. But he _had_ come for her during the storm. That simple fact made her heart pound as a warm smile shadowed over her face.

_Jun...Jun... Jun..._

"You're awake."

Hikari yelped slightly at the sudden voice, turning her head slowly towards the bathroom door. Her cheeks turned red upon seeing Jun shirtless with a towel draped over his shoulders. He had changed his murky and drenched pajama pants into blue and white plaid ones, his blonde hair still a little wet and messy from his shower. It had been a long time since she had seen him shirtless. After all that running around and Pokemon training, his arms and torso seemed to be less scrawny and more toned and muscular.

The blonde slowly made his way over to his bed, tossing the towel onto his chair. "How're you feeling?" He mumbled, his eyes slightly downcast. Hikari swallowed the lump in her throat, almost unable to muster out a reply.

"I...um...g-"

_CRASH!_

Hikari cried out in fear, slapping her hands over her ears and shutting her eyes tightly. Her toes curled slightly, and her shoulders began shaking. _Stupid, Hikari! Stupid, stupid! Grow up! Stop being such a coward! Stop... You're so wea-_

"...Get over here."

"Huh?" Hikari's eyes slowly opened as she turned her head towards Jun, who held himself up with one arm as he lay in his bed.

"Come on."

The champion hesitantly stood up, her knees still shaking. Her eyes met Jun's for a brief moment. His stare was blank, unreadable even. It stung her slightly to see someone she loved so much to be staring at her in such a way. Although she didn't blame him. He deserved better than her.

Seeing that she was taking a while, Jun sighed and stretched out his hand. Hikari's eyes widened as Jun smirked at her.

_Don't worry Kari-Kari. I won't ever let the storm hurt you._

The entire room was illuminated by the lightning. Hikari gasped, dashing towards Jun at top speed. Just as she wrapped herself around the blonde trainer, the sky roared fiercely, earning a frightened whine from Hikari. Finally, she began sobbing into Jun's bare chest as he pulled her closer to him. Her face was buried into his neck, and his chin rested comfortably on the crown of her head. He gently sang to her as he ran his hands through her blue hair. It had never occurred to Hikari how soothing and gentle his voice was. How soothing and gentle _he_ was.

He had the ability to knock her out by running into her. He had the power to make her feel like the worst person in the world. He had the power to make her the weakest possible human in the world, but instead, he held her tightly and sang to her. He made her feel on top of the world. He made her feel a bit stronger than she really was. And all it took was for him to stay by her side.

"Y-you... came for me..." Hikari sobbed, tilting her head upwards to meet his confused gaze. "You really came for me!" She sniffed, removing one hand from around his waist to wipe her face clear of her tears.

"I promised you didn't I?" He replied softly, tucking a loose strand behind her ears. "_To have my Kari with me... would bring me clearest skies."_ He pulled her back into a warm embrace. Closing his eyes and inhaling her homely scent. Everything seemed fine then. Everything seemed perfect.

"Thank you..." She whispered. Suddenly, Jun felt something cold, yet soft, press tightly against his neck. He shivered slightly, gasping.

"Kari..."

"Thank you... Thank you..." She repeated again and again, locking his flesh tightly against her lips repeatedly. "Thank you... Thank you..."

Jun sighed, burying his face into her hair. Finally, he tore away from her, pulling her up to meet his eyes. She lay beneath him now, their faces inches apart. Hikari slowly brought her hands up to cup his cheeks. He winced at her cold touch, earning a smile from the heroine.

"Jun-Jun, do you think I'll ever grow out of this?" She whispered, her stare moving between his eyes and his lips. Jun was silent for a few moments, taking in her features. Finally he sighed, placing his forearms on either side of her head.

"The girl who gets away with pulling my ear in public. The girl whose kicked Galactic butt. The girl who punched a 30 year old in the nose in front of a Legendary Pokemon. And the girl who saved the world. I'd say you'll be fine."

Hikari blinked at her best friend. As she opened her mouth for another reply, another loud _CRASH!_ erupted from the sky. She gasped, but didn't remove her hands from his face. Jun simply smiled down at her, caressing her hair softly. And that's when Hikari realized more than she could have on her own.

She realized she wanted Jun all to herself. She realized that her problem was nothing more than her convincing herself she was weak. She realized she was able to overcome almost anything on her own. And then things she couldn't overcome on her own, she would always have Jun to help her. He would always be there with two hands on her back, pushing her forward whether she'd really want to go for the dive or not.

He was her inspiration, and more.

Slowly, Jun's face lowered onto Hikari's. His eyes fluttered shut but her's remained open. As his lips collided with hers, and another thunderous sound erupted from the sky, Hikari remained calm for the first time in ten years. She no longer felt alone in the storm, like he had thought her father had. Slowly, her eye lids drowned her sight, as she returned Jun's kiss. Her hands moving to the back of his head, pulling him lower and closer. After a few silent moments, Hikari broke the kiss for a few solemn breaths. Her need for him was slowly growing unbearable. Her teeth slowly began to graze his bottom lip, earning a rough sigh from the blonde. His tongue whipped out of his mouth and dragged across hers. Hikari squealed as her hips suddenly shot upwards on cue. Jun let out a loud groan, immediately growing embarrassed. Hikari giggled, and pulled him down towards her again.

Her hands were all over his hair at this point, ruffling and pulling anything she could. Their kisses became faster and more desperate, and Jun quickly tore away from his childhood friend.

"Jun?" Hikari whispered with questioning eyes.

"Hikari... we should wait." He mumbled. Hikari blinked patiently, awaiting his further explanation.

"If we... y'know... it'll be kinda hard to say goodbye. You'll have to leave for the league soon, and I have to get to the Battle Frontier. We won't be seeing each other for a while."

Hikari, raised herself to a sitting position, and touched the blonde's cheek. "Can you wait for me?" she whispered. "Will you wait until we can be together again?"

A grin broke out on the trainer's face. "Course, Kari! I'll never let you go!" His goofy expression crumbled into a serious one in an instant. "But if you find someone else out there... I'll fine you a million bajillion ka-trill-"

The champion shut her best friend up with a kiss. "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I'm tired, can we sleep now?" she giggled. Jun grumbled something inaudible in annoyance before lying back down on the bed. The two fell asleep in almost an instant, completely forgetting the storm outside. Jun's arm was draped over Hikari's waist, as she was cuddle up warmly into his chest.

And in that moment, it seemed as if the sky was singing rather than shouting.

* * *

"Did you remember your trainer card?"

"Yes."

"And your toothbrush?"

"Yes."

"And your League certification?"

"'ess..."

"Okay... YOUR BACKPACK! Or purse, I never really knew what it was, I-"

"Bye, Ma." Hikari quickly pecked her mother on the cheek, adjusting her belt holding her companions, and throwing her travel purse over her shoulders. She had promised to meet Jun at the edge of town before she left. Surely enough, there he was, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently.

"That's a twenty dollar fine for you..." he mumbled, as she threw herself into his arms laughing.

"I hope you have fun at the Battle Frontier! Say hello to Kuro for me, 'kay?"

"You bet! And you'd better not lose to any lowly trainer before I get there, y'hear?!"

Hikari giggled, releasing Altaria from her Pokeball. The graceful looking Pokemon emerged from the light, looking pumped and ready to make a long flight. The blue haired heroine smiled, and turned to Jun.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for a while." She whispered, her voice growing shaky. Jun groaned, gathering her into his arms, and pressing his lips tightly against hers.

"I'll be waiting." He whispered. Hikari nodded, climbing onto Altaria's comfortable and fluffy back. The dragon-flying Pokemon rose up steadily into the air as Hikari wiped a tear off her cheek. The morning air had that same refreshing, cold mist that was blanketed by a summer warmth. The Castform had emerged out of their homes, and were playing once again. She called out a mental farewell to her father. Great things were in the near future for her, and she could feel all of it.

"Kari!" Jun called from below. Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

There was a slight pause before the blonde haired trainer shouted out to the champion.

"Wherever you end up in the world, I wish you clearest skies."

* * *

**A.N: **WOW I actually almost cried at the end. Shoutout to writers who give themselves feels. XD

A huuuge thank you to all of you for reading this! An especially big shoutout to Nyaners for being such a great follower and inspiring me to write every chapter with enjoyment, and also mizily for her helpful advice on how to expand my writing knowledge to become a better and more experienced writer! (:

**_I wish you all clearest skies!_**


End file.
